Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP): CPP is a structured, evidence-based dyadic therapy designed for children aged 0-6 exposed to trauma and their caregivers. The intervention involves weekly joint sessions emphasizing safety, emotional expression, and caregiver reflective functioning. Delivered by trained psychologists either online or in person.
Study summary
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) in reducing trauma-related symptoms and improving attachment quality among preschool-aged children who experienced the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye. A total of 60 caregiver-child dyads (children aged 3-6) will be recruited from 11 earthquake-affected provinces. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group, receiving 12 weekly CPP sessions, or a no-intervention control group. CPP will be delivered by trained clinical psychologists through either online or face-to-face sessions. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, mid-intervention (after session 6), and post-intervention (after session 12). Outcomes include child trauma symptoms, social-emotional functioning, and attachment quality, as well as caregiver reflective functioning, stress, and emotional well-being.
Eligibility
Sex
ALL
Min age
3 Years
Max age
65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Inclusion Criteria:
* Children aged 3 to 6 years old at the time of enrollment
* Resided in one of the 11 cities affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake (e.g., Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, Malatya, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Adana, Osmaniye, Diyarbakır, Kilis, Elazığ)
* Exposure to at least one qualifying traumatic event due to the earthquake (e.g., witnessing injury or death, loss of home, separation from caregiver)
* Living with a primary caregiver (mother or father) who consents to participate in the study
* Both caregiver and child are available to participate in 12 weekly sessions of CPP (online or face-to-face)
* Caregiver is fluent in Turkish and able to complete self-report questionnaires
Exclusion Criteria:
* Child or caregiver currently receiving psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment
* Child diagnosed with developmental disorder (e.g., autism, intellectual disability) that significantly impairs communication or relational functioning
* Caregiver with a diagnosed severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychosis, bipolar disorder) or active substance use disorder
* Families with ongoing legal custody disputes or instability that may interfere with consistent participation
* Inability to access internet or digital device (for participants randomized to online therapy)
Primary outcome measure(s)
Change in Child Trauma Symptom Severity — From baseline (Week 0) to 12 weeks post-intervention. Child trauma symptoms will be assessed using the Child PTSD Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI), a 20-item caregiver-report scale developed to evaluate post-traumatic stress reactions in children following exposure to traumatic events. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (none) to 4 (most of the time), yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 80. Higher scores reflect greater severity of PTSD symptoms, with cutoffs indicating doubtful (0-11), mild (12-24), moderate (25-39), severe (40-59), and very severe (60-80) symptom levels. The measure will be administered at three time points: baseline (Week 0), mid-treatment (Week 6), and post-treatment (Week 12).
This page summarises publicly available registry data for informational purposes — not medical advice. Eligibility is determined by each study team; patients should discuss participation with their clinician.
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